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Wednesday, June 8, 2016

Visiting Philadelphia's Magic Gardens

Philadelphia's Magic Gardens is, well, magic. It beckons you from the outside - mosaic work spills out onto the streets surrounding it, mirrored pieces catching the sun, urging you on.

By the time you reach the gates, it's like you're walking in of your own volition.

And when you get in, wherever you are, it's like standing inside of art. It's above you, it's below you, it's around you, it's in the bathroom with you.

There's so much to look at, you can stand in one spot for quite a while soaking it all in. I like art that you can identify some part of yourself in. You can do that literally and figuratively here.

The art comes on strong...it's outspoken, a little broken, a little gritty, a bit pieced together...basically it's reflective of the city of Philadelphia itself.

Which is easily explained, given the artist's origins and choice of home. The creator of the art, Isaiah Zagar, is a mosaic mural artist whose work can be found on more than 200 public walls throughout Philadelphia (neighborhood mural map here) and around the world. Born here and raised in Brooklyn, Zagar and his wife returned to Philly after college (Pratt Institute for Zagar) and a three year stint in the Peace Corps to settle in and create and inspire the art world.

He began creating what would become Philadelphia's Magic Gardens on the vacant lots near his South Street Studio in 1994. In 2002 the Boston-based owner of the lots discovered the installation and decided to sell the land, attempting to force the dismantling of the installation. The surrounding community swelled in support and the Magic Gardens became a nonprofit, preserving the art at the site and throughout the area. The moral of the story: don't fuck with Philly's art.

If you go:

Philadelphia's Magic Gardens is at 1020 South Street, on South between 10th & 9th

this looks so cool, and the events that they have sound really fun and interesting. love the art in the bathroom, and that the place is reflective of Philly itself. how cool. i'm not super into art in the way that people are when they are into art, but i could totally enjoy something like this. you make me want to see if there is anything like that around here.

I cannot believe that I have never been here and I have spent so much time in Philly. Totally adding this place to go next time I'm in Philly. Oh man I love South Street, they use to have so many good shops.

I love the Magic Gardens so much! You did an excellent job of capturing the look and feelings of being inside of it; like you're actually a part of it. I'm so glad that the city/community loved it enough to save it as well.

We were supposed to go to Philadelphia a few months ago and this was high up on my things to do list! Such a cool place! If we ever end up going, I'll definitely visit the gardens. Xo, Evelina @ Fortunate House

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